Extra Help Assistant III – Research Support

About the role

The Extra Help Assistant III will support the COSMOS research team at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock in developing and applying socio‑computational models that examine cyber campaigns on social media platforms. This temporary, on‑campus position focuses on data collection, forensic analysis, and predictive modeling to uncover coordinated disinformation efforts.

Key responsibilities

• Assist in building computational models of group formation, activation, and collective action on social media.
• Conduct cyber‑forensic and deep‑web searches to gather open‑source data using guided snowball techniques.
• Support the creation of predictive models that identify deviant socio‑technical behaviors, especially on video‑based platforms.
• Analyze extracted data to pinpoint key actors and groups orchestrating cyber campaigns.
• Collaborate with researchers to document findings and prepare reports.

Required profile

• Current university student or graduate assistant enrolled at the University of Arkansas System.
• Strong interest in cybersecurity, social media dynamics, and computational research.
• Ability to work independently on data‑intensive tasks and collaborate within a research team.

Required skills

• Experience with open‑source intelligence (OSINT) collection methods.
• Familiarity with cyber‑forensic techniques and deep‑web search tools.
• Understanding of social network analysis concepts.

What we offer

• Hands‑on research experience in a metropolitan university setting.
• Opportunity to contribute to cutting‑edge studies on cyber‑disinformation.
• Fixed‑term employment with a competitive stipend.